Printing press and web drying means therefor



Jan. 33, 1942, A. WEISS PRINTING PRESS AND WEB DRYING MEANS THEREFOR Origifial Filed Feb. 20, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ADOLPH wuss ATTORNEY A. WEISS Jan. 13, 1942.

PRINTING PRESS AND WEB DRYING MEANS THEREFOR Original Filed Feb. 20, 1937 4 Sheets Sheet 2 mum OH R M 0 EL TTI mm A 'PRIN'I'ING PRESS AND WEB DRYING MEANS THEREFOR Original Filed Feb. 20,-1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG.7

INVENTOR ADOLPH WEISS ATTORNEY A. WEISS Jam-13, 1942 PRINTING PRESS AND WEB DRYING MEANS THEREFOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed Feb. 20, 1937 FIG-.6

'Flq a INVENTOR ADOLPH WEISS ATTORNEY Paiented Jan. 13, 1942 PRINTING PRESS AND WEB DRYING MEANS THEREFOR Adolph Weiss, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Champlain Corporation, Garfield, N. 3., a corporation of New York Substitute for abandoned application Serial No. I 126,765, February 20, 1937. This application May 7, 1940, Serial No.

16 Claims. (01. 101-416) This invention relates to web and air conditioning means for printing, coating and other machines of a like character, whereby localized treatment may be employed for conditioning webs-which have been printed, coated or otherwise operated upon; for conditioning the air surrounding treated portions ofthe web so as to regulate its temperature, moisture andchemical content; for fixing or drying the inks on freshly printed webs; for diluting and disposing of the vapors emanating from webs printed with inks employing volatile solvents; for the control of static and prevention of explosion; and for various other purpose to which such localized treatments are applicable. The invention is particularly well suited for the localized treatment of printed webs in rotary intaglio printing presses for conditioning the webs and Ventilating the air surrounding those portions of the webs which are under localized treatment.

Due to recent advances in the art of rotary intaglio printing, the operating speeds of the presse have been increased to such an extent that, at the present time, surface production of 7200 square inches per minute is not unusual. Rotary intaglio printing presses of today are therefore characterized by high operating speeds and printed surface production, and, inasmuch as the inks employed dry by the evaporation of their highly volatile solvents, enormou volumes of vapors must be disposed of. In view of these conditions, and especially in multi-color rotary intaglio printing presses wherein from to 8 impressions may be made on a swiftly moving web and heat is usually applied for increasing the rate of evaporation and shortening the distance between impression centers, the disposal of the vapors arising from the evaporation of volatile solvents creates a major problem.

Various forms of web treating and ventilating systems have been devised for conditioning printed Webs and ventilating pressrooms with a view to protecting the health of the operators and avoiding explosions from the ignition of gaseous vapors while speeding up the web drying operation. However, for one reason or another these systems have not been entirely satisfactory and practicable. Probably one of the most important objections toprior device for condition;

ing printed webs is that they involve the addi-- tion of cumbersome structures to the press 'supporting frame for providing the necessary pipes and ducts, such addition requiring too much space and greatly increasing the costs of construction and installation.

stallations render the entire printing press unsightly by the addition of structure extraneous to the press framework which supports it. Another and even more important objection to the prior known web treating and ventilating systems is that they render the printing units themselves inaccessible so that it is difiicult and even impossible to thread the press emcie'ntly and make any adjustments or changes that may be required in the printing elements. Thus, the prior known forms of web treating and ventilating systems prevent free access to the web conveying and press mechanism and constitute decided handicap to eflicient operation of the press, often causing expensive delays in production.

I have found that all of these difiiculties may be eliminated and have provided an improved printing press including improved means for conditioning the printed web and for ventilating the adjacent air, the construction of the press and its associated web guiding and. conditioning means being such that ready access'may be had to the printing units at all times.

In accordance with my invention, the side frames of the printing press are utilized for the housing of ducts for supplying a web treating medium and exhausting such medium together with the solvent vapors from the ink; and duct containing members are suitably disposed between the frames and in the path of the moving web. To provide a restricted ,drying chamber conforming to the predetermined path of the printed web, suitable plates or slides are disposed between the duct containing frames and on the side of the web opposite the duct containingmembers. For gaining access to the web and the Moreover, such inembodiments of my invention in printing elements without disturbing the path of the web, the duct containing members or por tions of the frames with which they are associated are movable or separable. In this manner I have obviated all difiiculties in prior known presses having web'conditioning means and simultaneously have reduced the number of parts, reduced construction and installation costs, increased the efiiclency of theentire press, improved the quality of the printed matter and rendered the entire appearance of the press more pleasing.

' The above and other-objects and-advantages (if my invention will be apparent upon considera tion of the following detailed description of now preferred embodiments thereof and the accon'ipanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevationof one of the preferred a two-unit rotary intaglio printing press as viewed from the operating side or from the right of Fig. 4';

Fig. 2 is a similar side elevation of the opposite side of said printing press taken from the left in Fig. 4; V

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the printing press taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of either press unit when viewed from the left in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section similar to Fig. 3 showing a modified construction for the partition or frame member in which the supply and exhaust ducts of the drying and ventilating system are incorporated;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of another embodiment of my invention showing an adaptation to a multi-color rotary intaglio printing press of different type, said elevation being taken.from the left in Fig. 7;

show one preferred embodiment of my invention in a two-unit rotary intaglio printing press provided with laterally spaced side frames i and Illa of one unit and laterally spaced side frames Ii and Ila of the other unit, said side frames being mounted on a common bed plate (not shown). Arranged between the laterally spaced side frames and rotatable about transverse axes are printing cylinders i2 and I20: and cooperatively arranged with respect thereto are impression cylinders I3 and Ba. As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, screws l4 are threaded into suitable bearing supports I at opposite sides of both press units for adjusting the vertical positions of bearings (not shown in the drawings) for the impression cylinders with respect to the printing cylinders in the usual manner. As indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, a continuous web I6 is supplied to the press over a receiving guide roller I! and passes downwardly over guide rollers l8 and I9 to the impression cylinder l3 of the first press unit. Moving upwardly over the guide rollers and 21 in a predetermined path from the impression cylinder, the continuous web passes over a delivery guide roller 22 to the receiving guide roller Ila of the next press unit in series and in sequence moves downwardly over guide rollers Na and Ba to the impression cylinder i3a of the second press unit from which it passes upwardly over guide rollers 20a and 2 la to the next delivery guide roller 22a. It will be understood from this description that this path of movement for the continuous web through each unit, is repeated as many times as there are press units included in the press.

. Referring nowto Fig. l of the drawings, means for supplying a web-treating medium such, for example, as air under pressure to the web-conditioning apparatus to be presently described, is provided in the form of a blower 23 which delivers said medium to a pressure main comprising successive sections 24, 25, 26, etc., said sections being provided with attachment flanges 21, 23, etc. for the purpose of installing additional press units or for disconnecting some of the units therefrom to provide the desired number of press units in a, multi color press. Extending downwardly from the section 24 of the pressure main as shown in Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawings, are

conduits 29 which open through port openings 30 (Fig. 4) into manifold chambers 3| which according to this embodiment of my invention, are formed in transverse duct-containing members 32, extending between the side frames I3 and Ila. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings, these frame members are provided with spaced horizontal ducts 33 which open from the manifold chambers 3| and are provided with discharge outlets 34 preferably extending the full length of said ducts and completely across the web as it moves in a predetermined path from the impression cylinder H to the delivery guide roller 22.

As seen in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the rear wall of member 32 is spaced from and substantially conforms to the predetermined path of the printed web I6. Extending between the side frames l0 and Ilia in the rear of the printed web, are a plurality of plates or slides 32a, 32b, and

320, which form with the duct member 32, re-' munication with the manifold chambers 3| at' their right ends (according to Fig. 4) while the exhaust ducts 31 are in open communication at their left ends with manifold chambers 33 formed in the frame members 32 adjacent the side frame Illa. Extending across the duct or frame members 32 at the bottom are terminal exhaust chambers 39 which are contracted downwardly toward the tangential planes of the printing and impression cylinders of the respective printing units and are provided with intake openings 43 presented in close juxtaposition to those portions of the printed web leaving said printing units. By an inspection of the duct member 32 as shown in Fig. 3, it will be seen that the vertical series of alternately disposed horizontal pressure and suction ducts are preferably arranged with suction ducts 31 and suction chambers 33 at the upper and lower ends respectively of the web-treating chambers 35 formed between duct members 32 and plates 32a, 32b and 320. It should be explained further that the best results are secured by providing a suction capacity considerably in excess of the discharge capacity of the webtreating medium ducts to insure removal of all products of the web-conditioning treatment. It

will be understood from this description that the subdivided currents of web-treating medium discharge in separate blasts which impinge on the moving continuous web and after passing in whirling eddies over localized areas of said web are sucked into and through the exhaust ducts.

It will be seen in Fig. 4 of the drawings that the exhaust conduits 42 open at their upper ends into an exhaust main shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, said exhaust main comprising a series of sections 43, 44, 45, etc. provided with attachment flanges 46. Leading from section 45 of the exhaust main is an extension 41 thereof which is connected to a suction fan or exhaust pump (not shown) for removing. the mixed gases, air and other undesired elements from the Press and in large measure eliminating static on the web.

Where there are several presses arranged in a single room or building, the supply and exhaust mains leading to and from the drying and ventilating chambers therefor, are readily connected up in an air conditioning system which, if desired, may further include suitable apparatus for recovering the solvents by a condensation of the vapors emanating from the printed web.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, it will be understood that sections 28, 25, 25, etc. of the pressure main are preferably constructed in detachably connected sections 85, 48, 43, which may correspond in length and arrangement to corresponding sections respectively of the exhaust main so that the press units may be installed or removed at will to provide an installation of any desired size. At the same time the pressure and exhaust mains including the side frame spacing sections 25 and 48, constitute laterally spaced rigid top frame members for rigidly uniting any desired number of press units which may be included in the installation. For the purpose of securing a proper distribution of the drying medium to the several web drying and press ventilating chambers and regulation of the ex-, haust through pressure channels of different length connected in parallel, I preferably employ adjustable louvers, 49 of suitable construction for closing the upper ends of pressure conduits 29, and exhaust conduits 42 respectively in greater or lesser degree for properly regulating the current flows in different conduits to correspond to the respective requirements for the several press units. For this purpose, each of the louvers may be separately adjusted or when conditions permit, the pressure and exhaust regulating louvers for each unit may be adjusted in unison. Thus as indicated at the top of Fig. 1 of the drawings, louvers 48 and 49 are mounted on transverse shafts 58 and respectively, said shafts being provided at their outer ends with slotted arms 52 and 53 whereby said louvers may be secured in adjusted positions by means of studs or bolts (not shown) threaded into the frame through the slots in said arms. In the form shown, shafts 58 and 5| are extended to and through the exhaust main at the other side of the press, louvers 58 and 55 being mounted on said shafts respectively for regulating the exhaust from conduits 42 to correspond to the regulation of inflow of the drying medium at the upper ends of'pressure conduits 28 shown in Fi 1.

Suitable and effective means for imparting relative longitudinal adjustments to different portions of the continuous web for securing registration of the impressions made on said web by successive press units, may be provided in the manner shown in Figs. 2 and 3 wherein the guide rollers 18 and Wu are shown to be journaled in depending arms 56 keyed to transverse shafts 51. Keyed to the outer ends of shafts 5'! are segmental worm gears 58 with which worms 59 are in mesh, said worms being mounted on suitable shafts provided with hand wheels 68 for moving the guide rollers back and forth for varying the path length of one portion of the web relatively to another.

As shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, the transverse duct containing frame members 32 are preferably provided with axially spaced bearing lugs 8i keyed to shafts 6-2 upon which the delivery guide rollers 22 and 22a are freely journaled. Keyed to the outer ends of shafts 62 as shown in Fig. 2 are worm gear segments 63 which are in shaft 84 mesh with worms 88 on shafts rotatable in bearings 65 and provided with hand wheels 66 whereby said duct containing members may be moved away from the web as indicated by broken lines for the right hand press unit shown in Fig. 1 for giving free access to the press units.

According to Fig. 5 of the drawings, and for the purpose of uncovering the press 'units the duct or frame members are each constructed in three sections 81, 68 and 69, the sections 61 being keyed to the delivery guide roller shafts 18 are hinged at 1| to sections 68. Sections 68 are furthermore hinged at 12 to sections 69. It will be understood from this description by imparting a clockwise movement to section 61 about the axis of shaft 18 and a further clockwise movement of section 68 on hinge H with a counter clockwise movement of section 69 in hinge 12, these sections are readily folded together at the top of the press as shown in broken lines in Fig. 5. In their operative arrangement shown in Fig. 5, it will be seen that the rear surfaces of sections 81, 88, and 89 of the collapsible frame members form substantially continuous walls which are spaced from and conform to the printed webs moving from the printing couples. A series of plates 61a, 88a and 69a which are preferably in the form of slides extend between the oppositeside frames and form with the duct members restricted chambers through which the printed web portions travel in leaving the respective printing couples and within which said web portions are subjected to a conditioning treatment similar to that described above.

Referring now to Figs. 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings, according to the embodiment of my invention shown therein, laterally spaced side frames 18 are rigidly united at opposite ends by transverse frames 15.. In the left hand side frame according to Fig. 7 a pressure main 16 shown at the right in Fig. 6 branches into a plurality of conduits TI, 18 and 19, which lead to pressure .manifold chambers 88, 8| and 82 formed in the left hand side frame 88 of an upper frame structure which as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, is pivotally mounted in laterally spaced upwardly presented bracket arms 83 which carry a cross series of inclined duct containing frame membars 88. A series of stay shafts 9| which also rigidly connect the upper side frames 88, serve to freely journal a series of web guiding rollers 92 over which the continuous web moves toward and away from a series of impression cylinders 93 journaled in upper side frames 88 and cooperatively arranged with respect to printing cylinders 94 journaled in the lower side frames 74. Journaled upon stay shafts 94' at opposite ends and at the top of the upper frame structure are web guiding rollers over which the printed web leaves the printing press; Parallel to the duct members 89 and extending between the upper side frames above the duct containing members 89 are plates or slides 89a which form with said duct members a series of narrow web drying chambers 88 through which the printed web passes successively. Projecting toward the about which said upper frame work is Rigidly right from the last duct containing partition at the right end of Fig. 8 is a tongue 01 having a notch 00 formed therein for receiving the shank 00 of an eye bolt, the circular head I00 of said bolt being pivotally mounted on a pin III which extends between laterally spaced lugs I02. A nut 98a on bolt as serves to lock the upper frame structure to the lower frame structure. when necessary, however, access may be had to the printing cylinder and contiguous parts by releasing this bolted connection and swinging the superstructure in a counter clockwise direction about the stay shaft 04 whichat one and the same time exposes the printing cylinders from the top and the superstructure from below. As shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, the printing cylinders 94 have their shafts I02 journaled in bearings I03 which are removably mounted in the lower side frames 14 for permitting the printing cylinders to be lifted from the lower side frames.

Referring now to Figs. 7 and 8-of the drawings, since all of the duct containing partitions or frame members 89 are substantially similar in construction and arrangement, a description of one will serve for all. As indicated in the upper left hand portion of Fig. "l, the manifold chamber 02 opens through ports I 04 into pressure ducts I05 which as shown in Fig. 8 are arranged intermediately with respect to the exhaust ducts I00 arranged above and below them.

Said, pressure ductsl05 are provided with dischargeoutlets I00 through which the drying and ventilating medium is supplied to the web drying chamber 06. Leading from the drying chamber through longitudinal ports I01, are exhaust ducts I00 which extend along the top and bottom edges of the duct containing partition 09, the pressure ducts I00 being closed at their right ends according to Fig. 7 while said exhaust ducts I08 are closed at their left ends. but open at the right into an exhaust manifold I09 which leads through a conduit IIO to the exhaust main. Similar conduits I II and I I! for the other drying and ventilating units open into said exhaust main as indicated in the lower right hand portion of Fig. 7. It will be understood that suitable means of any desired form may be provided for supplying a drying and ventilating medium to the conduits TI, 18 and I9 and for exhausting noxious vapors fromconduits IIO, III and H2.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that I have provided, in machines operating on webs, means of novel form and construction for conditioning the webs and ventilating the surrounding air. More especially, I have provided web conditioning and ventilating means of the character described in connection with rotary intaglio printing presses. For this purpose, I have provided a drying and ventilating system of th character referred to for rotary intaglio printing presses embodying a reduced number of parts of improved construction arranged in a novel manner for reducing construction and installation costs; for increasing the efllciency of operators and printing presses; and for rendering installations of this character less unsightly.

I have further incorporated in the supporting printed web moves. ,It is also clear that I have incorporated in the supporting frame structure of a rotary lntaglio printing press, a novel construction and arrangement of exhaust ducts and conduits leading to an exhaust main formed in the frame structure for conveying the noxious vapors from one or more press units. I have furthermore incorporated in the supporting frame structure of a rotary intaglio printing press a com-- bined medium supply and exhaust system for the localized drying of the printed web and ventilation of the air surrounding said web. It will also be seen that I have provided a novel form and arrangement of supply and exhaust systems of the character referred to which is suitable for inclusion in an air conditioning system operated in connection with the press room.

Although I have illustrated and described simple and preferred forms of my invention, it will be understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the press structural details shown, and various changes may be made in the construction and certain features thereof employed without others, without departing from my invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

' This application is a substitute for my application Serial No. 126,765, filed February 20, 1937.

WhatI claim is:

1. In a rotary intaglio printing .press for continuous webs, a pivotally mounted frame portion provided with supports for an impression roll and web guides, and ventilating means provided with air conveying ducts associated with said frame portion and pivotallymovable therewith.

2. In a rotary intaglio'printing press for continuous webs, a pivotally mounted frame portion provided with supports for an impression roll and web guides, a conveyor main, and ventilating means provided with conveyor ducts. associated with said frame portion and movable therewith, said conveyor ducts'being uninterruptedly connected to said conveyor main.

3. In a rotary intaglio printing press for a continuous web, a'plurality of web printing units comprising printing and impression cylinders, guides for the web, a pivotally mounted separable frame portion supporting said impression cylinders and guides, and means associated with the frame portion supporting said impression cylinders and provided with conveyor ducts opening toward said web for conveying a conditioning means mounted in the upper frame' section for frame structure of a rotary intaglio printing guiding a continuous web to and from said im-. pression cylinder,- said upper frame being movable to a position sufficiently open to permit access to said printing cylinder.

5. In a rotary intaglio printing press, the combination of pivotally connected frames, web printing cylindersjournaled inione of said frames, impression cylinders ,journaled in the other of the frames, said printing and impression cylinders being arranged to coa-ct with each other in normal operative position of said frames, and rollers journaled in said other of the frames for guiding the web between impression centers, said frames being provided with separable conduit portions arranged in serial continuity in the normal operative position of said frames for conveying a conditioning medium to a printed web. 6. In a rotary intaglio printing ress,-the combination with a lower frame section having a plurality of printing cylinders journalled therein, of an upper frame section carrying a plurality of impression cylinders which are adapted to cooperate with said printing cylinders when said upper and lower frame sections are in normal operative position, and web guiding means mounted in said upper frame section for guiding a continuous web to and from said impression cylinders, said upper frame section being separable from said lower frame section and movable to such a position that access may be gained to said printing cylinders.

7. In a rotary intaglio printing press, the combination with a lower frame section, of an upper frame section pivotally connected thereto, printing and impression cylinders journalled in said frame sections respectively, and web guiding means mounted in the frame section carrying said impression cylinder and being so placed with reference to said impression cylinder as to provide a path in which the freshly printed web may be dried, said upper frame section being movable to a position sufticie'ntly open to permit access to said printing cylinder.

8. Ina rotary-intaglioprinting press, the combination of pivotally connected frames; webprinting cylinders journalled in one of said frames; impression cylinders journalled in the other of said frames, said printing and impression cylinders being, arranged to coact with each other in normal operative position of said frames; rollers joumalled in said other, frame for guiding the web between said impression cylinders and so placed with reference to said impression cylinders as to provide a path in which the freshly printed web may be dried, said upper frame section being movable to such a position that access may be gained to said printing cylinders.

9. In a rotary intaglio printing press for printing continuous webs, a pivotally mounted frame portion provided with supports for a plurality of impression cylinders and a plurality of guides for guiding the web to and from the impression cylinders, and means associated with said frame portion and positioned between said web guides and said impression cylinders for conveying a conditioning medium to the freshly printed web.

10'. In a rotary intaglio printing press for printing continuous webs, a pivotally mounted frame portion provided withv supports for an impression roll ,and webguides, and ventilating means associated with said frame portion and pivotally movable therewith, said ventilating means comprising a plurality of duct containing members positioned between the support for said impression roller and the support for one of said web guides,

11, In a rotary intaglio printing press for printing continuous webs, a pivotally mounted frame portion provided with supports for animpression roll and web guides, and ventilating means associated with said frame portion and pivotally movable therewith, said ventilating means comprising a plurality of duct containing members positioned between the support for said impression roller and the support for one of said web guides and having a plurality of orifices which open towards the web.

12. In a rotary intaglio printing press for printing continuous webs, a pivotally mounted frame'portion'povided with supports for an impression roll and web guides, and ventilating means associated with said frame portion and pivotally movable therewith, said ventilating means comprising a plurality of duct containing members positioned between the support for said impression roller and. 'the support for one of said web guides, means located at one sideof said frame portion for supplying a conditioning medium to said duct containing members and means located at the other side of said frame portion for withdrawing said conditioning medium from the region of the printed web.

13. In a rotary intaglio printing press for continuous webs, a pivotally mounted frame portion provided with supports for an impression roll and web guides, and ventilating means associ ated with said frame portion and pivotally movable therewith, said ventilating means comprising a duct containing member having orifices therein for applying a conditioning medium to said web, and means adjacent said duct containing member for withdrawing the conditioning medium from the region of the printed web.

14. In a rotary intaglio printing press, the combination of pivotally connected frames; web printing cylinders journalled in one of said frames; impression cylinders journalled in the other of said-frames, said printing and impression cylinders being arranged to coact with each other in normal operative position of said frames; rollers-journalled in said other frame for guiding the web between impression cylinders, said frames being provided with separable conduit portions arranged in serial continuity in the normal operative position of said frames for conveying a. conditioning medium to the printed web; and means for withdrawing the conditioning medium from the region of the printed web.

15. In a rotary intaglio printing press, the combination of a frame portion having a web printing cylinder journalled therein, a second frame portion pivotally connected to said first frame portion and having an impression cylinder and web guiding means mounted therein, a duct containing member mounted in said second frame portion and having an orifice therein fordirecting a conditioning medium upon the printed surface of the web, and separable conduit portions associated with both of said frame portions and arranged in serial continuity in the.

normal operative position of said frame portions for conveying the conditioning medium to said duct containing member,

16. In a rotary intaglio printing press having a printing cylinder, and a pressure roller cooperating therewith, the improvement which comprises: web guiding means located in juxtaposition to the pressure roller, a frame supporting said means and the pressure roller, and means for movably supporting said frame, the frame being movable to shift the web and the supported parts away from the printing cylinder to give access to the printing cylinder.

,ADOLPH wares. 

